I made a vow recently that I would spend more time outdoors this summer after not fully taking advantage of the season last year because of all my postpartum emotions. We explore more of our area over the weekend by visiting Skokie Lagoons. I had never heard of the park until Graham mentioned it one day. The Skokie Lagoons are located between the Chicago suburbs of Winnetka, Northfield and ... Read more
Date Night with Johnnyswim at the Riviera Theatre, Chicago
We had our first date night in months (I think?) on Saturday night at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. We saw Johnnyswim, our favorite duo, for the fifth time, and it was one of the best shows we've see them perform. We were nervous about getting to the Riviera Theatre because Graham had to work Saturday and his end time was uncertain. (It depends on when a game ends.) Also, I was ... Read more
Christmas at the Flora House
This has been a special Christmas for us: It was the first in our new house, and it was Addi's first! V had some new traditions, too. Our Christmas recap: I love our tree this year despite never finding a tree topper after ours broke. I plan to also purchase a new tree skirt next year. We chose to stay in Chicago for Christmas this year vs. traveling to Arizona or Kentucky. We wanted to ... Read more
Riding the 2018 CTA Holiday Train in Chicago
We continued our tradition of riding the CTA Holiday Train in the Chicago area this year. If you're not from Chicago and have never heard of it, it's a holiday-themed train that only runs on certain L Train lines at scheduled times. In 2016 and 2017 we caught the train on the Red Line, which runs north-south through the city. This year, we picked the Purple Line in Evanston because we live in the ... Read more
Tips For Taking a Baby to a Baseball Game
I took 5-month-old A to her fourth baseball game at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night, and I have lost count how many games 4-year-old V has been to since joining our family. Most of the time I have gone to the games without my husband because he works during them. I've learned a thing or two about how to successfully attend a ballgame with two kids and still have a good time. The key is being ... Read more
Running a Half-Marathon Without Training | Chicago Half Marathon Recap
Note: Before I share my Chicago Half Marathon story, I want to advise against running a race without training. It is never a good idea. Even if you think you are in great shape, you put yourself at risk for injury. As always, you should consult a physician about what exercise/event is safe for you to do. On Sunday, I awoke at 4:15 a.m. to get ready to run 13.1 miles in south Chicago during ... Read more
A Date Night to Remember With Johnnyswim
Graham and I don't get many date nights. The last time we spent an entire evening to ourselves was on Valentine's Day. Last weekend's date to the Need to Breathe concert, for which Johnnyswim was opening, was a much needed night out for us and one that we looked forward to since I bought the tickets in March. If you have read this blog for a while, you know that we LOVE Johnnyswim's ... Read more
Why Brookfield Zoo Is Worth A Visit
There are certain Chicago area spots that are worth repeat visits. For us, Brookfield Zoo is one of them. You don't need to have children to enjoy a day at Brookfield Zoo. In fact, we often see adults roaming the grounds with a beer in hand and not a worry about keeping a kiddo entertained. My brother- and sister-in-law visited over Labor Day weekend and Graham and I thought we might have some ... Read more
Flora Family Photo Session
** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! Graham and I have a tradition of taking photos around the time of our wedding anniversary to document our life together. It's been so fun to capture the changes to our family: Over the past four years we've gone from just the two of us ... Read more
Summer Stroll at the Chicago Botanic Garden
If you're ever going through a stressful time, a walk around the Chicago Botanic Garden might be in order. I was overwhelmed and emotional recently, and I finally asked for help. My mother-in-law drove to Chicago to spend a week with us helping in any way she could. And boy did she help. She worked on our yard. She took the girls to the park so I could get work done or ... Read more